How bannock doughnuts helped this Métis entrepreneur provide for her kids — and keep them humble | 24CA News

Ginger Auger kneads bannock dough on the kitchen counter in her house in Fort McMurray.

Across from the Métis businesswoman is a photograph of her dad and mom. Covered in flour, Auger talks to the photograph and prays to them as a result of it brings her dad and mom along with her on a baking journey. 

“I don’t even know if they’re proud of me,” Auger says.

“I guess they must be.”

Auger, founder and CEO of Ginger’s Bannock House, began promoting her meals as a catering firm in 2016 “out of necessity.” 

For years, after combating dependancy, Auger sought remedy and commenced rehabilitation. 

Not lengthy after, she was pregnant. 

With one baby already at house, she used her rising household as a motivation to start out a business and to faucet right into a talent her mom taught her: cooking.

“We didn’t have much growing up,” she mentioned. “She made sure that we always had flour and everything to start anything, just not to be hungry.” 

Now Auger’s baked items are extremely wanted by Fort McMurray residents. 

Because of her business, Auger’s sons have by no means needed to battle with meals insecurity the best way she did. 

But she needs her household to remain humble, so she takes her two sons to the Centre of Hope to feed others, or hand out leftover bannock.

“I make sure that they know that there is struggle out there and that things can change and we have to help others.” 

Auger has aspirations to increase her business by renting out business areas. But for now she’s seeking to get a everlasting location for her baking.

She has three part-time workers, all of whom are additionally recovering addicts. 

Stuart McIntosh mentioned when he heard there could be bannock doughnuts, he raced over to Heritage Village downtown. 

“There’s nowhere else in Canada that has something as delicious,” McIntosh mentioned. “It’s hard to explain.” 

Jennifer Vardy normally exhibits up half an hour early to get a field of doughnuts. 

“They’re homemade, they’re authentic, you’re supporting an Indigenous artist creator and … they’re just delicious,” Vardy mentioned. 

Katlyn Dykens, occasion co-ordinator at Heritage Village, mentioned additional workers will come and assist when Auger’s doughnuts are dropped off and there is normally a line fashioned earlier than Auger even arrives. 

For anybody seeking to make their very own bannock, Auger does have a tip that got here from her mom: “Don’t be rough. Don’t be mad, don’t be angry or you’ll see it in your bannock.”

Auger mentioned you want to be in temper and that is why she all the time takes the time to smudge earlier than she begins cooking.

In the longer term, she want to get a meals truck so she will be able to attend occasions and do open fireplace cooking. 

She additionally needs to show about tradition and meals, particularly within the communities all through Wood Buffalo. 

“Let’s rise up. Especially as Indigenous people, especially people that are in trauma. Just rise up.” 

“I do everything with bannock,” Auger mentioned. “I would make pillows out of it if I could.”